Method and arrangement for connecting selectively a stationary subscriber apparatus to a neighboring mobile subscriber apparatus with the aid of a telephone switchboard function

ABSTRACT

A method and a system for connecting a stationary subscriber apparatus selectively to a mobile subscriber apparatus through a telephone subscriber exchange, which includes a call switching function, by means of which incoming calls can be transferred, and which is connected to a number of stationary subscriber apparatus included in the telephone system and a number of mobile subscriber apparatus also included in said system, and computer apparatus included in the switchboard, in response to a call from a stationary subscriber apparatus to a telephone number relating to a plurality of mobile subscriber apparatus, for instance a group number. Upon receipt of a call, the telephone switchboard or subscriber exchange and the computer apparatus ascertain or establish the geographical area and/or geographical location of the stationary subscriber apparatus of each mobile telephone apparatus that is marked unoccupied, wherein the call received is transferred to the selected mobile subscriber apparatus.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates primarily to a method of connectingselectively stationary subscriber apparatus to a mobile subscriberapparatus through a telephone subscriber exchange which includes atelephone switch function or switchboard function, by means of whichincoming calls can be transferred and which is connected to a number ofstationary subscriber apparatus included in the telephony system and anumber of mobile subscriber apparatus, such as taxi-carried telephoneapparatus, which also form part of said system, and computer apparatusincluded in the switchboard, in response to a call from a stationarysubscriber apparatus to a telephone number relating to a plurality ofmobile subscriber apparatus, said number being referred to hereinafteras the "group number".

The invention also relates to a system in which the system componentscoact and are mutually connected in a manner to operate in accordancewith the inventive method.

Reference is made in the following description to "subscriber apparatuswhich belong to a stationary system" or "stationary subscriberapparatus" and it will be understood that this category of apparatusdoes not solely include those apparatus which can be connected to atelephone exchange or switchboard with the aid of physical telephonelines, but also to other forms of immobile (or mobile) telephones. It issignificant to the invention, however, that the geographical area orlocation of a particular stationary telephone apparatus and of theperson using said apparatus can be readily determined.

Reference is also made in the following description to "subscriberapparatus which belongs to the mobile system" or to "mobile telephoneapparatus" By this expression is meant a subscriber apparatus which isinstalled in a mobile unit, such as a taxi, express delivery vehicle, apublic service vehicle and the like, which carry mobile telephoneequipment and with which it is possible to establish the exactgeographical location of the mobile unit concerned or the exactgeographical area in which said unit is located in a positive fashion.

In this latter case, it may concern a "stationarily connected subscriberapparatus" when the mobile subscriber apparatus has informed that itreceives calls at a particular place, at the subscriber apparatus of ataxi station or the like.

It will be obvious to the technician skilled in this field which type ofsubscriber apparatus shall be used within the two aforesaid categories.

It is also stated in the description that the "subscriber apparatus" areactive in making calls or leaving messages, although it will beunderstood that each such function of a subscriber apparatus isinitiated and effected by the person operating the subscriber apparatusconcerned.

When one of the stationary subscriber apparatus belonging to the systemestablishes a connection to a "group number", it will be understood thatthe "group number" selected in this case is not served directly by anumber of mobile subscriber apparatus, which belongs to the earlierknown art, but that before the call is connected a particular mobiletelephone apparatus selected according to certain merits.

Furthermore, the term "telephone exchange" or "switchboard function" asused here, does not only indicate telephone stations but also subscriberexchanges and the like, although the telephone switchboard used musthave a built-in so-called call "transfer function" capable of beingactivated and influenced by computer equipment.

BACKGROUND ART

With regard to the significant properties and characteristic features ofthe present invention, several types of telephone exchanges or telephonestations are known to the art which fulfill the aforesaid conditionsthat are fundamental to the function of the present invention.

The present invention is based on the use of a telephone subscribesexchange incorporating a switchboard function to as a call transfer or"transfer function".

The call transfer function as such is-earlier known and is included inmany telephone switchboards, such as subscriber exchanges. During a callin progress between a calling person, i.e. a first person, and a calledperson, a second person, the call transfer function enables the called,second person, to call a third person and transfer the call in progressso as to establish a call connection between the calling person, i.e.the first person, and the third person called by the second person,without the second person taking part in the call transfer.

Such a call transfer function is initiated by the called, second person,by activating a switch on the telephone keyboard (normally a button) ina manner applicable to the telephone switchboard or exchange concerned.

The second person is then disconnected completely from the callconnection established by the call transfer function between the firstand the third persons.

The telephone switchboard retailed by "Ericsson" of Stockholm, Sweden,under the designation "AXE-station", is an example of a telephoneswitchboard or exchange that is provided with such a call transferfunction.

The present invention can be expected to obtain particular applicationas a so-called taxi-exchange, i.e. a telephone switch which isparticularly adapted for taxi vehicles, where a telephonist is able toreceive and to give information concerning the transportationrequirements of customers, etc., where each customer is able to dial asingle telephone number, preferably a readily memorized telephonenumber, for a particular group of taxi vehicles.

With regard to telephone switchboards which are adapted for use withtaxi vehicles or other transportation means, it is known to provide eachtaxi with a computer and printer and to transmit printed messages to aparticular taxi from a telephone switchboard with the aid of wireless orcordless data transmission means.

This system also enables each taxi to indicate to the switchboard and/orits telephone operator the area and/or the location in which the taxiconcerned is found at any one particular time, this information beinginserted into a queue system so that should a person require theservices of a taxi and call the telephone switchboard, the telephonistis able to communicate with that taxi which has the highest priority onthe list and is, at that moment in time, nearest to the address of theperson concerned or has the easiest route to said address.

Telephone exchange systems which are adapted for communication withtaxis by means of radiowave transmission are also known to the art.

Telephone exchange systems adapted for servicing a large number of taxisare always manned by a greater or smaller number of telephone operators.

Also belonging to the prior art is a system in which a stationarysubscriber is able to dial a group number and the call is switcheddirectly to a mobile subscriber apparatus which while being free to takean incoming call is not necessarily free to accept a fare, irrespectiveof the geographical position of the taxi, it being possible to connect acall directly between the stationary subscriber apparatus and the mobilesubscriber apparatus selected randomly by the telephone system.

The publication SE-B-402513 discloses a system, constituting thebackground art for the present invention. However, the known system(page 4) is constructed so that the caller must know a code, related tothe area including the address, and the used telephone number mustinclude two digits (Ni.N2) identifying said area.

The present invention has as its goal to eliminate these two digits.

DISCLOSURE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Technical Problems

When considering the present state of the art as described above, itwill be seen that a qualified technical problem resides in the provisionof a method and a system which will enable any stationary subscriberapparatus belonging to the system to be placed, via a group number, intodirect communication with a "selected" mobile subscriber apparatusbelonging to said system, such as a mobile subscriber apparatus carriedby a taxi vehicle without the need of memorizing a two-digit code, so asto enable the caller to speak directly to the driver concerned and toplace an order and to give appropriate route directions, for instance tospecify the geographical area from which the call is made and/or thelocation from which said call is made, together with other desiderata tothe selected mobile subscriber apparatus which is nearest to the addressin question or which is indicated by a computer selection means on thebasis of other criteria.

It will also be seen that a technical problem resides in the provisionof a method which will enable a selected speech connection to beestablished without needing to pass through a telephone operator and fora telephone operator to communicate a requirement, which must thereafterbe passed on.

A further technical problem in this respect is one of enabling a call tobe connected automatically to a mobile subscriber apparatus which is notonly located in the vicinity of the caller but is also free to acceptthe call and also free to accept the fare.

When considering those conditions, which are fundamental to the presentinvention, it will be seen that a technical problem resides in realizingthe need of utilizing the possibility of ascertaining the geographicalarea and/or geographical location of each stationary subscriberapparatus in a sure and simple fashion.

Another technical problem is one of realizing the simplifications thatcan be achieved in the system by utilizing the district coding ofsubscribers having similar telephone prefix numbers allotted by thepublic telephone administration.

When taking the above into consideration, it will be seen that atechnical problem resides in the provision of conditions which willenable a telephone switchboard subscriber (exchange) and computerapparatus to evaluate and establish the geographical areas and/orlocations applicable at that moment in time for a number of mobilesubscriber apparatus and to store requisite data in sequence in the areaconcerned.

It will also be seen that a technical problem resides in realizing thesignificance of creating conditions such that when one stationarysubscriber apparatus belonging to the system among a plurality ofpossible stationary subscriber apparatus is connected to a telephoneswitchboard in response to a call made to a "group number" such thatsaid call can be "transferred" without the service of a telephonist andvia means belonging to the switchboard to the mobile subscriberapparatus which, at that particular moment, has the highest priority, isnearest to the geographical location of the stationary subscriberapparatus or has the simplest route to said geographical location, andthereafter to create conditions for establishing, via a call transferfunction, a speech connection between the stationary subscriberapparatus and the selected mobile subscriber apparatus.

It will also be seen that a technical problem resides in establishingthe geographical area or geographical location of the stationarysubscriber apparatus in a simple fashion and then realizing thesignificance of utilizing the possibility found incorporated in certaintelephone exchanges, namely the possibility of ascertaining the caller'ssubscriber number or of utilizing the caller's own ability to activateupon request a code corresponding to the area in question, through thekeyboard, buttons, on his telephone apparatus.

It must also be considered a technical consideration to realize thatsuch a code may either constitute the first digits, normally the firsttwo or three digits, of the telephone number of the stationarysubscriber apparatus concerned, or to insert through the telephonebuttons a code relevant to the distribution Of mail within the areaconcerned, where both codes can be used to define a given specific area.

It is also a technical insight to utilize the whole of the telephonenumber in order to ascertain the geographical location together with acomplete address with the aid of computer means.

It will also be seen that a technical problem is one of realizing that asystem of the aforesaid kind which succeeds in solving one or more ofthe aforesaid technical problems can also be complemented with a taxiprebooking facility, such that when a stationary subscriber apparatuscalls a group number and is connected to a computer belonging to thetelephone switchboard, the caller is able to insert through the buttonson his telephone apparatus information concerning the prebooking and tocreate conditions such as to set-up a call connection from the telephoneswitchboard and/or its computer equipment to a selected mobilesubscriber apparatus prior to the time for which the taxi has beenordered, informing said mobile subscriber apparatus of the pre-booking.

Another technical problem is one of realizing the advantages that areafforded by connecting a separate computer in a telephone switchboardhaving a call transfer function to outgoing lines, said separatecomputer being adapted to satisfy the significant features of theinvention.

It is also a technical consideration to vary the number of lines used tomeet prevailing traffic situations, in a known manner, such as to meetthe number of mobile subscriber apparatus that are free at that time.

Solution

The present invention provides a solution to one or more of theaforesaid technical problems by means of the inventive method andinventive system.

The present invention is based on a method of connecting a stationarysubscriber apparatus selectively to a mobile subscriber apparatus, or onthe basis of other criteria, through a telephone subscriber exchangewhich includes a telephone switching function, by means of whichincoming calls can be transferred and connected to a number ofstationary subscriber apparatus included in the telephony system and anumber of mobile subscriber apparatus also form included in said system,and computer apparatus included in the switchboard, in response to acall from a stationary subscriber apparatus to a telephone numberrelating to a plurality of mobile subscriber apparatus, for instance agroup number.

In accordance with the invention, it is proposed that when receiving acall, the telephone switchboard (subscriber exchange) and/or thecomputer apparatus ascertains the geographical area and/or geographicallocation of the stationary subscriber apparatus; that the telephoneswitchboard and/or the computer apparatus establishes and stores thegeographical areas and/or the geographical locations of a number ofmobile subscriber apparatus in the near vicinity and stores thelocations of said apparatus in sequence, and that the call received istransferred to the selected mobile subscriber apparatus which at thatmoment has been allotted the highest priority, such as belongs to thearea concerned, has waited the longest and/or is the nearest mobiletelephone apparatus to the calling address and/or is the only vehicleavailable for driving to the geographical address of the stationarysubscriber apparatus; and that subsequent to establishing the selectionof a mobile subscriber apparatus through the computer apparatus, adirect speech connection is established between the calling stationaryapparatus and the mobile apparatus selected by the computer apparatusand called by the telephone switchboard.

In accordance with proposed embodiments lying within the scope of theinventive concept, it is proposed that the geographical area orgeographical location of the stationary subscriber apparatus isascertained automatically either by the telephone switchboard and thecomputer or by asking the caller to enter into subscriber apparatus, acode corresponding to the area concerned, for instance a code in theform of the first digits of a telephone number or a zip code or postalcode applicable to said area, or some like code.

Subsequent to the computer having established a connection to thetelephone switchboard, each mobile subscriber apparatus is assigned aqueue number and the queue order is normally constructed in accordancewith the following system: Belongs to the area, and when several mobileapparatus belong to one and the same area, "first in, first out".

It has been found particularly advantageous to provide the telephoneswitchboard and/or the computer apparatus with means capable ofinitiating and creating artificial speech and able to give the callercertain instructions and to ask certain questions and which is able togive answers, normally in response to codes that are inserted bymanipulating the buttons on the subscriber apparatus in a givensequence.

In accordance with the present invention, the telephone switchboard andcomputer apparatus can be adapted to deal with pre-bookings, such thatthe stationary subscriber apparatus is able to insert the time at whicha vehicle is required, etc., and such that just prior to the time atwhich the taxi is required, the computer will connect the switchboard toa mobile subscriber apparatus, selected by the computer, informing themobile apparatus of the booking earlier made, preferably in anartificial speech mode.

Advantages

Those advantages primarily afforded by means of the inventive method andinventive system reside in the possibilities of readily establishingdirect telephone contact between a stationary subscriber apparatus and acomputer-selected mobile telephone apparatus situated in the nearvicinity of the calling apparatus, via a call transfer functionincorporated in the telephone switchboard or subscriber telephoneexchange, said selected mobile apparatus being free to receive telephonecalls and free to accept the fare, despite a call being directed by thestationary subscriber apparatus to a group telephone number which iscommon to a plurality of mobile subscriber apparatus.

Because the computer apparatus is able to initiate and create artificialspeech, the telephone switchboard controlling the taxi vehicles is ableto operate without the aid of telephone operators.

Furthermore, the time lapse from the time of making the call to the timeof establishing the connection with a mobile apparatus is shortened,even in the "rush hour", and the caller will obtain direct contact witha mobile subscriber apparatus selected on the basis of differentcriteria instead of obtaining telephone contact through the service of atelephone operator, who can only divulge desired information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A proposed embodiment of a system at present preferred and exhibitingthe characteristic features significant of the present invention willnow be described in more detail with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an inventive system, solely onestationary subscriber apparatus and solely one mobile subscriber beingshown for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a map showing two stationary subscriber apparatus and threemobile subscriber apparatus, so as to illustrate the conditionsfundamental to the inventive concept; and

FIG. 3 is a simplified block schematic illustrating the proposedcooperation between the functions of the telephone switchboard and thecomputer apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS AT PRESENT PREFERRED

FIG. 1 illustrates diagrammatically a system constructed in accordancewith the principles of the present invention and includes a telephoneswitchboard, subscriber exchange or like telephone station 1 providedwith selector switches 1a and 1b which function to connect each incomingcall to a subscriber selected by the caller.

In the present case, each call is directed to a chosen "group number"and is dealt with by a separate computer arrangement, without theassistance of a telephonist or telephone operator.

The switchboard 1 includes a control means 2 and a computer apparatus 3which is connected by cables to the control means, the control means 2and the computer means 3 cooperating to activate and carry out aselected through-connection function. This through-connection functionis referred to as a "call transfer" and is earlier known as anintegrated function of the telephone station or switchboard, andconsequently the necessary activation of this function will not bedescribed in detail here. The invention presumes that this function isactivated through the computer means 3.

It is sufficient in this case to establish that an incoming call,arriving from a person having a stationary subscriber apparatus 5 via agroup number, is connected directly to a mobile subscriber apparatusselected by the computer means on the basis of particular criteria, asresult of cooperation with equipment in the telephone switchboard orexchange, which can influence the call transfer function, among otherthings.

The telephone switchboard 1 may be connected to a number of stationarysubscriber apparatus forming part of the system, of which only one suchapparatus is shown in FIG. 1 and identified by reference numeral 5, bymeans of a number of physical telephone lines 4.

The switchboard 1 has a number of outgoing lines 6, of which some lines6a are connected to equipment 7 by means of which a speech connectioncan be established to a mobile subscriber apparatus chosen from a numberof available mobile apparatus, only one such mobile apparatus 8 beingshown in the Figure.

When the aforesaid person dials a "group number" on the subscriberapparatus 5, the apparatus is through-connected to the selected outgoinglines 6b to which the computer devices 10 and 11 are connected.

It is assumed that the mobile subscriber apparatus 8 forming part of theinventive system is installed in a taxi vehicle 9 and that the saidapparatus is served by a taxi driver.

The transfer of a call from the unit 7 to the subscriber apparatus 8 canbe effected in a manner known per se, for instance with the aid of themobile telephone system NMT 900/450, which has been used in Sweden formany years.

As shown in FIG. 1, the telephone switchboard may include externalequipment, such as an external computer 10, or may be connected theretoby means of one or more lines 6b.

The system illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a queue organizing means 11which is intended to place calls arriving from a number of stationarysubscriber apparatus 5 simultaneously into a queue order.

For the sake of simplicity, however, the following description is basedon the occurrence of a single call, and consequently the function of thequeue organizing device 11 will not be described in detail here.

The aforesaid telephone switchboard and the computer 10 coactingtherewith enables a stationary subscriber apparatus 5 to be connectedselectively to a mobile subscriber apparatus 8 chosen by the computerand being located in the near vicinity, even when the call made on thestationary subscriber apparatus is directed to a given group number.

In order for this to be possible, it is necessary for the telephoneswitchboard 1 to connect all incoming calls directed to the aforesaidgroup number to the computer 10, which is programmed to ask questions inartificial speech with the aid of devices and first means 21, 30subsequent to a call having been established between the stationarysubscriber apparatus 5 and the computer 10, and to ascertain thegeographical area and/or geographical location (address) of thestationary subscriber apparatus 5 on the basis of the replies to saidquestions (code).

This can be achieved by instructing the caller, through artificialspeech, to insert the first two digits of his own telephone number,using the telephone buttons 5a to this end, this code being insertedinto means 22, shown in FIG. 3, connected to a device 23 which functionsto ascertain the geographical area on the basis of said code.

Alternatively, the stationary subscriber apparatus 5 may be asked toinsert the zip code or postal code of his particular area.

Another alternative is for the switchboard 1, in coaction with thecomputer 10, to ascertain the caller's telephone number and for thecomputer to establish the location and even the address of thestationary subscriber apparatus on the basis thereof.

The telephone switchboard 1 and the computer 10 are constructed toinstruct, with the aid of other means 31, each of the mobile subscriberapparatus 8 to insert through the buttons on respective apparatus a codewhich is significant to the area or the location in which they arelocated at that particular time, this code being delivered to a device32. This device is connected to a means 33 for evaluating andascertaining, in coded form, each of the geographical areas and/orlocations in which a number of free mobile subscriber apparatus 8 aresituated. All of these vehicles are placed in a queue order in a queueorganizing device 45, together with a code corresponding to ageographical area.

The order in which the mobile telephone apparatus 8 are placed in thequeue is based primarily on whether or not the vehicle belongs to thatarea and secondly on the length of time that the vehicle has been idle.

It can be imagined that all vehicles located within one and the samearea, vehicles 9a and 9b, located within an area A in FIG. 2, are givena queue order, implying that when a stationary subscriber apparatus 5'dials the common group number, said apparatus 5' will be connected tothe vehicle, for instance the vehicle 9a, which has waited the longestin the queue.

In the case of high call frequencies and short waiting times, thispriority principle can be ignored, and the vehicle 9b selected simplybecause it is nearest to the area concerned.

It can also be imagined that a stationary subscriber 5" calls from anarea B in which no vehicle is present or waiting. In this case, the callcan be connected to the nearest vehicle 9a within a neighbouring area A.

FIG. 3 is a greatly simplified, proposed block schematic of thefundamental functions of the present invention.

The construction of each block will not be described in detail here,since the blocks are known in principle and/or can be readilyconstructed by one of normal skill in this art who has sufficientknowledge of the function of said blocks, which are explained in detailherebelow.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, each call from the subscriber 5 to the groupnumber dialled is connected to the lines 6b through the switchboard 1,by means of a device 21 which can be connected to a voice generator 30.

This voice generator 30 instructs the subscriber 5 to dial on hisbuttons 5a the first two digits of the telephone number of saidsubscriber apparatus, for instance the digits 36, this code beingreceived by a computer 10 which includes said means 22.

The code received in the means 22 is converted to a locality or areaidentification in a further means 23.

The system also affords the possibility of connecting each call from amobile subscriber apparatus 8 through the telephone switchboard 1 to thevoice generator 30, by a further means 31.

This voice generator 30 instructs the caller on subscriber apparatus 8to dial on his buttons 8a a code which corresponds to the area orlocation in which the apparatus is found, this code being 36 for thearea A, said code being received in a computer 10 including means 32.

The code received in the means 32 is converted to a locality or areaidentification in a means 33.

It lies within the scope of the invention to insert the requisiteinformation in the computer in this latter case without the aid of avoice generator 30.

The contents of the means 23 and 33 can be compared with one another bymeans of a comparison circuit 40. The area in which the stationarysubscriber 5 is located is compared with all of the available mobilesubscriber apparatus whose prevailing locations in said area are storedin the queue organizer 45.

When several available mobile subscriber apparatus are found within oneand the same area, the vehicle which has waited the longest is chosen.

Thus, the mobile apparatus having area identity and having waited thelongest time without a fare, i.e. the vehicle given the highestpriority, is indicated by a means 41 on the basis of the location of thesubscriber 5.

A connection is established to the subscriber 8 via a means 42 and viaknown means 26 in the telephone switchboard 1, and when a response isestablished in the means 43, a call transfer function is activated via ameans 44 such that the stationary subscriber apparatus 5 and theselected mobile subscriber apparatus 8 are in direct speech connection,via the equipment 27.

With each call from each stationary subscriber apparatus 5, the device23 ascertains the geographical area of the stationary subscriber andoptionally also the geographical location thereof and the unoccupiedmobile subscriber apparatus 9a, 9b available for driving are sorted andstored in a queue organizer 45, and the comparator 40 evaluates andindicates the mobile subscriber apparatus 8 which has the highestpriority at that particular time.

The priority order may be based primarily on whether or not a taxivehicle belongs to that area and secondly on the length of time a taxivehicle has remained in the queue without a fare, although priority mayalso be based on other criteria, such as which vehicle is nearest thelocation of the stationary subscriber apparatus or has the simplestroute to said location.

The call transfer function thus connects the stationary subscriberapparatus 5 to the selected, unoccupied taxi vehicle free to takeincoming calls and being first in the queue, whereby the callingapparatus is connected directly to that mobile subscriber apparatuswhich can best suit his purposes without the caller having been activein selecting precisely that subscriber apparatus 8a or taxi vehicle.

Other possibilities are also conceivable. For example, the telephoneswitchboard may be constructed to ascertain the telephone number of thecaller with the aid of known means, or the stationary apparatus 5 may beinstructed to insert through the telephone buttons 5a a code, such as apostal code (or zip code) corresponding to the area concerned.

Each of the mobile subscriber apparatus 8 included in the system includemeans 8a which enables a connection to be made to the switchboard 1,said means 8a also being constructed to feed into tile means orequipment 32 provided in the computer a code which corresponds to thegeographical area or geographical location of the mobile apparatusconcerned. When the respective mobile apparatus have establishedtelephone connection with the computer 10 and a code has beentransmitted, each mobile apparatus 8 is assigned a queue order "firstin--first out" in the device 45.

The switchboard and/or computer apparatus also include means 30 which isconstructed to generate predetermined, selected speech sequences,so-called artificial speech, and to give a caller certain instructionsand to ask certain questions through the medium of means not shown. Theanswers to the questions asked can be stored and processed during thetime so required, via code taking.

The telephone switchboard 1 and/or the computer apparatus 10 areprovided with means 48 for storing a desired time, etc. of a prebookingordered from a stationary subscriber apparatus 5 and to establish, priorto the selected time, a telephone connection, via the computer apparatus10, with a selected mobile subscriber apparatus 8, which listens to arecorded message of the prebooking, or is informed of the message by anartificial voice.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to theaforedescribed exemplifying embodiment thereof and that modificationscan be made within the scope of the invention defined in the followingclaims.

I claim:
 1. In a communication system comprising a stationary subscriberapparatus and a plurality of mobile subscriber apparatus, a system forconnecting an incoming call from the stationary subscriber apparatus toa telephone number associated with the plurality of mobile subscriberapparatus to a selected mobile subscriber apparatus comprising:means forgenerating voice messages; a switchboard including a computer, :meansfor establishing speech connections between the stationary subscriberapparatus and ones of the mobile subscriber apparatus, first means forconnecting the incoming call to an outgoing line through the switchboardand to the generating means upon receipt of the incoming call, andsecond means for connecting calls from mobile subscriber apparatusthrough the switchboard to the generating means; wherein the switchboardascertains and stores for each unoccupied mobile subscriber apparatus arespective geographic location; the establishing means establishes aspeech connection between the stationary subscriber apparatus and theselected mobile subscriber apparatus; either the switchboard ascertainsthe stationary subscriber apparatus's telephone number and determinestherefrom the stationary subscriber apparatus's geographic location, orthe generating means generates a voice message that requests entry of acode number indicating the stationary subscriber apparatus's geographiclocation; and the switchboard selects the mobile subscriber apparatusbased on a priority assigned to the mobile subscriber apparatus, eachmobile subscriber apparatus's priority being determined by at least oneof: proximity to the stationary subscriber apparatus; assignment to anarea that includes the stationary subscriber apparatus's geographiclocation; duration that the mobile subscriber apparatus has beenunoccupied; and availability for the stationary subscriber apparatus'sgeographic location.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the switchboardfurther includes means for storing messages entered through thestationary subscriber apparatus.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein theswitchboard further includes means for storing information, enteredthrough the stationary subscriber apparatus, concerning a selection of amobile subscriber apparatus at a predetermined future time, and theswitchboard establishes a speech connection between the stationarysubscriber apparatus and the selected mobile subscriber apparatus at thepredetermined future time.